1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic detection device which is capable of conducting bipolar detection, and particularly, to a magnetic detection device capable of switching among plural output modes, and an electrical product using the magnetic detection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magnetic detection device (magnetic sensor) provided with a magnetoresistive effect element may be employed for detecting open/close state of an electrical product such as a folding mobile phone and a refrigerator.
The electric resistance value of the magnetoresistive effect element changes in accordance with the external magnetic field intensity. It is therefore possible to detect intensity level of the external magnetic field applied to the magnetic detection device based on the voltage change resulting from the resistance change.
The magnetic detection device is controlled in one of output modes including a bipolar 2-output mode for detecting bipolar of the external magnetic field in (+) direction and the external magnetic field in (−) direction opposite the (+) direction to output a (+) magnetic field detection signal and a (−) magnetic field detection signal from the respective output terminals, a bipolar 1-output mode for detecting the bipolar as described above to output the (+) magnetic field detection signal and the (−) magnetic field detection signal from a common output terminal, and a single-pole 1-output mode for detecting only one of the external magnetic fields in (+) direction and (−) direction to output one of the (+) magnetic field detection signal and the (−) magnetic field detection signal. Depending on individual electrical product or the required function for the electrical product, the desired output mode may differ.
Generally, the aforementioned three output modes cannot be obtained from the single magnetic detection device. The magnetic detection devices each for the different output mode have to be manufactured separately, resulting in the cost increase.
Any of Patent Documents such as Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2000-180206, 59-5976, and 2004-180286 does not disclose the structure which allows the common magnetic detection device to provide the three output modes as described above.